Making it official
by Emme019
Summary: One-shot about Effie and Haymitch. Missing scene from 'Catching Fire', takes place during the second reaping. Leave a review!


**A/N: According to me, this is a missing scene from 'Catching Fire'. The moment when Effie pulls Haymitch's name during the reaping. It's not possible to put this in the book because it's from Effie's point of view and the book is from Katniss' but anyway, here it is. One-shot. Hope you like it. **

_This is ridiculous_, I'm thinking.

Murderous thoughts directed to the Capitol, my precious Capitol, are running through my head.

_Absolutely ridiculous_.

How dare they put Katniss back in the arena. And Peeta! Or… I can't even think about this. Haymitch. He was strong and fast and smart, all those years ago. But now…he's still strong but I think the alcohol will have affected his smartness and speed. Although, Haymitch is still pretty cunning, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get Katniss and Peeta out of the arena in the first place.

Oh how I hated all of them in the beginning. Absolutely no manners, no sense of fashion, no nothing.

A pretty boy, a savage and a drunk.

And me.

That was our team. I felt so superior. Well, still do actually (because I am, right?) but they mean a lot to me now.

Katniss and Peeta, they're like children to me. _My_ children.

I couldn't even look when Peeta was almost dying last time and when Katniss was in that tree with her hurt leg.

And then with those bizarre wolves!

I think I must have crushed Haymitch's hand!

Talking about hands, mine is now looking for that one silly little paper.

I don't really know why but it's difficult to take it.

Oh well, I do know why, because I don't want to take it. I don't want to be the one to make it official, to say that Katniss has to go back.

And then I hear myself saying her name.

'Katniss Everdeen'.

God, I feel awful.

I walk to the other bowl, a little shaky I admit (maybe these shoes don't fit me anymore. Or the heels are broken, that's probably it. Nothing to do with me, nothing), and I take out the card.

'Haymitch Abernathy'.

_Haym…HAYMITCH! Oh god, no. No, no, no_!

Haymitch won't survive this! Other victors will be younger and stronger and faster. Well not all of them but still… Haymitch can't go, he can't.

I find myself looking at him. He shoots Katniss an unfortunate glance but then his eyes catch mine.

How can this man go back to the arena?

I have hated him for such a long time and now I have to send him to his death.

Wait, I have to ask something else but what was it?

My eyes turn to the floor and then I remember. 'Any volunteers?'

I can't even make a proper sentence, or at least make it sound cheery.

My head turns left and I see Peeta's hand in the air. He's volunteering. He…

Oh no, once again I find myself torn.

My two babies going back to the arena. Negative side.

The man I love not going to the arena. Positive side.

The moment I read his name on that card, the moment he looked into my eyes, I knew.

All those years we had to mentor the two tributes together.

We got used to each other I guess. Well, _I_ got used to him.

But now I understand that I didn't just get used to him, I started to like him, and now I realize I love him.

Katniss and Peeta turn around, the people start to disappear from the square, the peacekeepers are running towards us and Haymitch approaches me.

A sad smile lingers on his lips.

'Maybe it is a good thing I wasn't promoted to a better district', I say with a shaky laugh.

His eyebrows raise questioningly.

'This is the best district anyone can wish to mentor, or whatever it is that I do.'

He laughs. 'To guide them through preposterous time schedules, that's what you do. And you're damn good at it, Ef! As much as I hate it that Katniss and Peeta are back in there, I'm glad you're the one I have to team up with once again. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair. Two smart ones together back here and two impulsive idiots in the arena, completely ignoring all the advice you two would have given us. Now the teams are equal.'

I take his hand while walking away from the stage, surrounded by peacekeepers.

'I hope for your sake you consider _me_ the smartest one!'

He barks out a laugh (no alcohol smell, maybe that's why I'm suddenly so interested in him, alright, love him. He's changed, positively), lies his arm around my shoulder and says: 'Come on Effie, you know we can't be late. We have a big big big day ahead of us!'

**A/N: This was just something that came up. Please review! :)**


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